


this is right where it begins

by garnetted



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-15
Updated: 2015-09-15
Packaged: 2018-04-20 22:04:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4803905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/garnetted/pseuds/garnetted
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruby is just trying to work on scholarship applications. She's distracted.  [rupphire coffee shop au]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> i eat, sleep, and breathe rupphire so here's a coffee shop au 
> 
> the first chapter is super short and they get longer after that :^)

The first Tuesday of August.

_Time to get down to business._

Ruby entered the local café, laptop bag slung over one shoulder. She went to the end of the short line, quickly ordering a coffee and a muffin. She thanked the purple-haired barista, maybe a little too loudly, paid, and sat down at a table in the corner of the room. Ruby quickly unloaded her MacBook from her bag, forcing herself to get started and hopefully be productive for once. She had a lot of scholarship-searching to do, and she knew she wouldn’t get anything done if she tried to work at home. Once she heard her name called for her coffee, she plugged her headphones in and got to work.

After a solid half-hour of scouring the internet for scholarships she was eligible for, Ruby decided it was time for a break. She pulled her headphones off and took the fabric headband out of her hair, shaking out her messy mop of curls and redoing the headband. When she looked up, her eyes met with a stranger’s — one of many awkward eye-contact meetings she had had in her lifetime. This one, somehow, felt different.

Ruby processed as much information as she could in the half-second of eye contact. One bright blue eye, wide open, framed by dark, precise eyeliner, while the other eye was obscured by thick, dyed-blonde bangs. 

Ruby tried for a smile, like she often did when her eyes met with pretty strangers’, but the girl shifted in her seat and looked back down at her mug and her laptop, expression unchanged. Ruby averted her eyes quickly, pushing her glasses up on the bridge of her nose. She went back to compiling a list of scholarships. But her productivity decreased drastically, now that there was a distraction. 

Ruby kept glancing across the room.

The gorgeous girl didn’t look up again.


	2. two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so apparently ruby and rose quartz are good friends (tbh i just rly wanted rose to be an Overenthusiastic Wingman)

The second Tuesday of August.

_finally on my way!!! sorry!!!!!!!_

Ruby hit send, rushing out the door with her unzipped backpack flung over her shoulder. Her phone vibrated, and she read Rose’s reply: _No problem :)_. At least she didn’t have to worry about her friend being mad about her constant tardiness. Rose was probably the most forgiving person she’d ever met. 

Ruby pushed through the door of the café, instantly spotting Rose — more specifically, her massive pink ponytail. She grinned and made her way over to the table where Rose had already set up her laptop. 

“Sorry I’m late,” Ruby said, pulling her own laptop out of her bag and setting it on the table.

“Oh, it’s fine!” Rose replied, a bright smile on her lips. 

Ruby smiled gratefully. “I’m gonna go get a coffee,” she told Rose, who nodded in response. 

When she returned with her drink, she started up her laptop and opened her scholarship folder. “So,” Ruby said, “have you found anything yet?”

“Yeah, I have,” Rose answered, enthusiastically as always. “Here, I’ll send you some of the links.”

“Perfect,” Ruby said, sipping her coffee. “I’ll…” she began to respond, but a reflection in her computer screen caught her eye. A familiar-looking girl was walking past their table, holding a mug and a laptop case. 

Ruby forgot what she was going to say. 

Seconds later, the girl was no longer a reflection; she walked past and sat down a few tables away from Ruby and Rose, so that Ruby could see her profile. The girl was wearing a blue sundress and sandals and had her hair braided over her right shoulder, making Ruby feel vastly underdressed in her running shorts, Nikes, and _Just Do It_ tank top. And, oh, god, her hair. Her unruly curls were tied back into a massive bun, flyaways held down by her red headband. Her finger twitched. Since when did she feel bad about not dressing up to go to the café? 

“Sorry, what was that?” Rose looked up from her computer screen and looked at Ruby.

Ruby blinked. “I’ll, um, send you some that I found, too.”

“Thanks,” Rose smiled, apparently not having noticed Ruby’s moment — or choosing not to say anything about it.

The pair worked on scholarship essays for a while, occasionally making jokes or groaning about how stupid the prompts were. Ruby tried her best to keep her eyes focused on Rose and her computer and not the girl that was perfectly in her field of vision. Rose surely noticed her distracted attitude, but she didn’t say anything. Ruby was grateful — Rose had a habit of laughing very loudly, and she didn’t want any attention drawn to herself. At least, not today.

“Oh, sweet,” Ruby said, finishing up reading the information page on a scholarship website. Not looking up from her computer, she told an interested Rose, “There’s a program where you only have to fill out one application, and you’re eligible for, like, fifty different scholarships.”

Rose perked up. “Yeah?”

“Yeah! And it’s for LGBT students—”

Ruby finally looked up. Her words stopped.

“That sounds great!” Rose said, smiling brightly, but Ruby didn’t process her reply. The girl in the dress was walking in her direction, a neutral expression on her face. 

Oh, god, Ruby thought, adjusting her glasses and fidgeting. Walk past, don’t look at me, keep walking, keep going, don’t stop here —

“Excuse me?” the girl said, stopping at their table. Ruby froze. Her voice, kind of low and kind of monotone, was almost as beautiful as she was. _Oh my god, you don’t even know her!_ Ruby criticized herself. “Do either of you have a laptop charger that I could borrow?”

Rose was quick to reply, no doubt noting Ruby’s reaction to this girl. “I didn’t bring mine today, I’m so sorry. But Ruby—” at the sound of her name, Ruby snapped back to reality, whipping her head to Rose —“usually has hers with her. Ruby, do you have your charger?” Rose knowingly smiled at Ruby — true, she never left the house without her phone and laptop charger — but there was something else in that smile. _She knew._

For half a second, Ruby couldn’t say anything, but she felt the girl’s icy blue eyes trained hopefully on her. “Uh, yeah, I think so, let me check,” she mumbled, rummaging her shaking fingers through her bag.

She finally located the charger, fishing it out and handing it to the girl. “Here you go,” Ruby said, hoping her smile distracted from her shaking hands. “Sorry it’s so tangled.”

“Not a problem,” the girl answered. “Thank you so much.” Her tone of voice hadn’t changed much, but a smile tugged at her lips and Ruby felt like combusting. 

“Yeah, you’re welcome,” Ruby stuttered, managing a smile. 

But the girl didn’t look like she was finished. Suddenly hesitant, she asked, “Um, if you don’t mind me asking, did I hear you talking about scholarships?” Her eyes darted from Rose to Ruby; both of her small hands gripped Ruby’s laptop charger nervously.

Ruby didn’t trust herself enough to answer without stuttering. She glared at Rose, her expression more intense than she’d intended, hoping she would get the message. 

Thank god for Rose. “Yeah,” she answered with a smile. “We’ve been researching scholarships. Might as well get an early start!”

“Same here,” the girl nodded. “College apps. Ugh. Would you mind— do you think you could send me the link for that LGBT one?”

The website was still open on Ruby’s computer, and Rose glanced at her like, it’s your turn. There was a brief pause in which Ruby tried to gather her thoughts, and she responded with an enthusiastic, “Of course!”

The girl beamed, and so did Rose — not that Ruby noticed. Ruby pulled out her phone and opened a new contact page. “Thanks so much, I really appreciate it,” the girl said, typing in her contact information. Then, she looked up at Ruby for a moment: “I’m Sapphire, by the way.”

“Ruby,” Ruby replied hastily, “and this is Rose.” Rose looked like she was going to burst with happiness.

Sapphire smiled and handed Ruby her phone back — her name was listed as just Sapphire with an emoji snowman next to her name. “Thanks again.”

Ruby set her phone on the table and clasped her fingers together, smiling giddily as Sapphire walked back to her table.

Rose looked pointedly at Ruby, a mischievous expression paired with a wink and an eyebrow-wiggle. “Rose!” Ruby hissed, kicking her in the shin under the table.

Rose just laughed (way too loudly, in Ruby’s humble opinion), and the girl glanced back at their table, chuckling silently while plugging in her laptop with Ruby’s charger. Ruby’s cheeks felt hot.

She looked at the newest contact in her phone. _Sapphire._


End file.
